# What No One Tells You About Styling Your TV Wall **By Darshana Chundawat** · 2026-04-18 # ![](https://ikiru.in/cdn/shop/products/buy-tv-unit-toshi-solid-acacia-wood-tv-console-or-tv-stand-cabinet-media-unit-for-living-room-by-orange-tree-on-ikiru-online-store-1.jpg?v=1739197336&width=1946) Turn Your TV Wall Into the Focal Point of Your Living Room The television is a large, black rectangle. It dominates whichever wall it sits on, draws every eye in the room, and for most of the day, when it's off it just sits there as a dead screen in an otherwise considered space. People spend weeks choosing a sofa or agonising over a coffee table, but the TV wall which  usually is the first thing you see when you walk in, gets an afterthought. A unit shoved underneath, a tangle of cables, maybe a photo frame on either side if you're feeling ambitious. Done right, the TV wall becomes the strongest focal point in your living room. Here's how. ## Get the Proportions Right Before Anything Else This is where most TV walls go wrong, and it has nothing to do with styling. It's pure proportion. The [TV unit](https://ikiru.in/collections/tv-unit) should always be wider than the television, ideally 1.5 to 2 times the width of the screen. A 55-inch TV (roughly 123 cm wide) needs a unit that's at least 150–180 cm wide. When the unit is narrower than the TV, the screen appears to overhang and the whole setup looks precarious. When the unit is wider, the TV becomes one element of a wall composition rather than the only element. Height matters just as much. The centre of your screen should sit at roughly 90–110 cm from the floor, at eye level when you're seated, not standing. Most people place their TVs too high, which causes neck strain and makes the room feel visually top-heavy. And leave breathing room on either side. A unit that stretches wall to wall reads like a shop display. Negative space is what makes a wall feel designed. Explore IKIRU's [TV unit](https://ikiru.in/collections/tv-unit "TV Unit Collection") collection  ## Wall-Mounted or Floor-Standing? Both can look exceptional. The question is which is right for your specific space and the answer matters because one of them is much harder to undo than the other. Wall mounting suits clean, flat walls and permanent setups. The floating look feels modern and the floor stays clear. But it demands built-in cable management because a floating TV with wires running down the wall trades one visual problem for another. And once the bracket is drilled in, moving it is a significant project. Floor-standing solid wood units do something wall-mounted setups can't: they give the wall depth, warmth, and material character. A well-chosen cabinet with open shelves and closed storage anchors the room. It also gives you surfaces to actually style; objects, books, plants, a lamp. For renters, anyone uncertain about placement, or walls that aren't perfectly flat, a floor-standing unit is the more flexible and forgiving choice every time ## The Shelf is Not a Storage Unit. Style It Like You Mean It. This is where most people give up. The [TV unit](https://ikiru.in/collections/tv-unit) arrives, the TV goes on, remotes and a set-top box disappear inside, and the shelves become a quiet dumping ground. Start by clearing everything off. Then bring things back in groups of three: one tall object (a vase, a stack of books, a candle stand), one medium (a small plant, a decorative bowl, a sculptural showpiece), one low or flat (a tray, a small framed print, a coaster). This creates visual rhythm without clutter. Vary the heights deliberately. If everything on a shelf sits at the same level, the shelf reads as flat. The contrast between a tall vase and a low bowl is what creates depth. Leave at least one shelf with some empty space, it gives the objects around it room to breathe and be noticed. And vary the materials: pair something ceramic with something wooden, something matte with something that has a slight sheen. Texture contrast is what makes a shelf look curated rather than just collected. Explore [IKIRU's decor collection](https://ikiru.in/collections/decor "Decor") → [Explore vases](https://ikiru.in/collections/vase "Vases") → [Explore showpieces & collectibles](https://ikiru.in/collections/showpieces-collectibles "Showpiece & Collectibles")  ## Sort the Cables. Nothing Else Works Until You Do No amount of good styling survives visible cables. A beautifully chosen TV unit with a tangle of HDMI wires and power strips spilling out the front undoes everything around it. This is the step everyone skips because it feels like a chore, but it's actually the fastest way to make a room look more expensive. Closed-door TV units with a back panel cutout handle most of it as devices sit hidden behind doors and only the TV cord is visible. For wall-mounted setups, a slim cable raceway along the wall (inexpensive, no drilling required) keeps everything neat. If you're buying a unit specifically, look for one with a structured back panel. It's the detail that separates a considered piece from a generic one. ## The Wall Doesn't End at the Unit The TV wall is a composition, not just a piece of furniture and a screen. The space above, beside, and around the TV is part of the same visual story and leaving it bare is the most common missed opportunity. Above a wall-mounted TV, a slim floating shelf with one or two objects breaks the blankness and frames the screen. A pair of wall sconces on either side creates a gallery-like symmetry that makes the whole wall feel intentional. Beside a floor-standing unit, a tall floor lamp fills the vertical space, adds warm ambient light to what's usually a dark corner, and visually extends the width of the composition without adding bulk. The goal is simple: make the TV feel like it belongs to a considered arrangement and not like a screen that was placed and then decorated around as an afterthought. Explore [IKIRU's floor lamps](https://ikiru.in/collections/floor-lamp "Floor Lamp") → [Explore wall shelves](https://ikiru.in/collections/wall-shelves "Wall Shelves")  ### Frequently Asked Questions What size TV unit should I buy for a 55-inch TV?  A 55-inch TV is approximately 123 cm wide. Your unit should be between 150–180 cm wide so the screen doesn't appear to overhang. The centre of the screen should sit at roughly 90–110 cm from the floor when watching from a seated position. Is a wall-mounted TV unit better than a floor-standing one?  Neither is universally better. Wall mounting suits permanent setups with clean, flat walls. Floor-standing solid wood units add warmth, material character, and styling surfaces. For renters or anyone unsure about placement, floor-standing is almost always the more practical and flexible choice. How do I style the shelves of a TV unit?  Work in groups of three; one tall, one medium, one low object. Vary materials and textures. Leave at least one shelf with empty space. Every object on the shelf should be there by choice, not because it had nowhere else to go. How do I hide TV cables?  A unit with a back panel cutout routes cables out of sight immediately. For wall-mounted setups, a slim cable raceway along the wall solves it without in-wall work. Avoid leaving set-top boxes or power strips visible on open shelves, closed-door storage handles this entirely. What should I place on either side of a TV unit?  A tall floor lamp on one or both sides is the most effective option, it fills vertical space, adds warm light, and anchors the TV wall visually. Tall planters or a narrow open shelf work well too depending on how much space you have. Shop [TV units](https://ikiru.in/collections/tv-unit) at IKIRU. --- > Source: [IKIRU](https://ikiru.in/blogs/tips-and-tricks/what-no-one-tells-you-about-styling-your-tv-wal)